Serve this main dish pasta salad for lunch or a light dinner. It is chock full of ground beef, cheese, pasta and veggies.
16 oz. spiral pasta
1 lb. lean ground beef
3/4 c. water
1 envelope taco seasoning, your choice of mildness
8 oz. shredded Mexican cheddar cheese
1 large green pepper, finely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped or 2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
4 1/2 oz. sliced ripe black or green olives, drained
16 oz. Catalina or Western salad dressing
3 c. shredded lettuce, optional
tortilla chips, optional
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse in cold water, drain again.
Meanwhile, in a pan or a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add water and taco seasoning; simmer, uncovered 15 minutes.
Place cooked pasta in a large bowl. Add cooked beef mixture, cheese, green pepper, onion, tomato and olives; mix well. If desired, add in shredded lettuce. Add salad dressing and toss to coat.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve with tortilla chips, if desired.